The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 2 — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

244 Jane,” said he. “I’d rather not monkey with it.” With a grim smile he watched earth’s most utterly adorable maiden trip back to her guests; he saw her smile brightly at them and beckon; he saw them rise re- luctantly and follow her. A little voice within told Mr. Farnham that Jane had not mentioned the change of drivers; he stood apart from the car and gazed unconcernedly at the blue vault of the sky as the forlorn little party dragged their way back to their seats. He did not move until he heard Aunt Hettie’s: “That’s Mr. Hapworthy’s place, in front, Jane.” ‘“Y’m going to sit there for a little,” Jane said. Young Mr. Farnham’s hideous plans were made. He faced about suddenly and stepped into Jane’s car; within two seconds he had adjusted spark and throttle; within another he had produced the grinding swish of the starter; a fourth and, with a hand he felt to be guided by an almost unearthly instinct, he had let out his brake and let in his clutch. Jane’s beautiful car moved forward with a tooth-loosening jerk even before Mary Callum could scream! It managed another jerk and—doubtless because Cragg had failed to oil the steer- ing gear properly—crossed the road and just missed crossing the fence and the door- yard beyond and dropping into the railroad cut. But Mr. Farnham brought it about once more and set his teeth. The little inner voice told him that he was about to shear one railing off the railroad cut’s little bridge and make the tracks after all; but this time the little voice lied. One rear hub, be it admitted, did tear loose some yards of railing and draw a dreadful scream from Aunt Hettie; but the car missed going over by a full inch, or even more, and it was with confidence re- stored that Mr. Farnham shut out from his senses all the world except the road ahead and started up the slight grade. Behind him they were chattering like so many monkeys—but monkeys miles and miles away. Beside him sat Jane Fayre, who knew that he could drive perfectly. It was enough; had the six been a locomotive and the road been mined with lyddite, Mr. Farnham would still have driven. The real danger, as appeared within the THE ARGOSY. first two miles, was not to themselves; the real risk of his experiment was being borne by other wheeled things that had wandered afield that bright morning. There was the buckboard, for one; even as he saw it coming Mr. Farnham knew that he was about to drive straight over horse and man, to leave them as a horrible, crushed tangle. A loud gulp escaped him and he twisted furiously at his wheel; and though the absurd horse insisted on rising with pawing forefeet, and the uncontrollable rear end of Jane’s six slapped the buck- board itself out of the road, a little detour into a cornfield and a sweeping, lurching curve back to the highway found them all uninjured. There was the honest farmer-lad, too, who approached on his bicycle. His eye met Mr. Farnham’s and the boy, with a shriek, leaped from his wheel and dragged it into the ditch after him—and not one second too soon. But presently a certain confidence came to Mr. Farnham. A series of experiments had proved to his mechanical mind that, if one met the steering-gear half way and in a perfectly friendly spirit, the thing would respond quickly enough. As for the engine, even though it was hitched to a flimsy bed that swung in the air, even though it pulled them along with power enough to move a house, it was only a gas engine after all—and he had known gas engines for years. Still more, as confidence waxed, Mr. Farnham was pleasantly aware that, no matter how they bumped and bounded and swerved unexpectedly, they were making time. The speedometer had passed the 4o mark and all hands still lived! Without being quite certain of Bates- ford’s location, he felt that they would make Batesford some time during the evening; | even now they were within a mile or two of the clearing where they had passed the night. Mr. Farnham squinted ahead and smiled contentedly; from here he could see the massive rock which would live in his memory to the end of life! Then, as he sighed gently, the dog ap- peared. He was part setter, part pointer and part several other things; he came from no- where at all and stood in the very center of the road, looking at them with great, stupid eyes. Quite frantically Mr. Farnham jabbed at CORMMICGLOOOKS (C@